Thanksgiving - November 27, 2009

Happy Thanksgiving

to Everyone!

May your stuffing be tasty

May your turkey plump,

May your potatoes and gravy

Have nary a lump.

May your yams be delicious

And your pies take the prize,

And may your Thanksgiving dinner

Stay off your thighs!

~Author Unknown

Recipe of the Month

Best Bread Pudding

Chef Ann, of SunWest Appliance Distributing, featured Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Caramel Whipped Creme at the last Shop Talk with Kristi.

This recipe got 5 stars from all the attendees.

For those who missed it and for those who enjoyed this dessert and want to serve it for Thanksgiving, here you go. . .

PUMPKIN BREAD PUDDING WITH CARAMEL WHIPPED CREAM

Serves 10-12
Preheat Viking electric oven on TruConvection at 375 degrees
Lightly butter a 13 x 9 baking pan

2 cups Half and Half
1 ½ cups Heavy whipping cream
3 cinnamon sticks (broken into pieces)
1 TBLS minced fresh ginger
8 whole cloves

In a saucepan heat the Half and Half, cream, cinnamon, fresh ginger and cloves on medium high heat. Do not walk away! Stir until mixture is steaming. Remove pan from heat and set aside for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes strain mixture through a strainer. Add 1 TBLS of pure vanilla extract and stir to combine.

Brioche procedure:
1-loaf of pumpkin brioche-can find at Trader Joes. You may use plain brioche. Cut brioche into 1 inch cubes. Place the cubed brioche on a pan and spread out evenly. Bake brioche about 8 minutes until lightly toasted. You do not need to turn the brioche over. Once the brioche is cooled, place the toasted brioche in the buttered pan.

PUMPKIN CUSTARD
In another bowl combine the following ingredients:
4-Large eggs
3-Large egg yolks
½ cup canned pure pumpkin
½ tsp. salt
2 tsp. All-Spice
½ tsp. nutmeg

Whisk the above ingredients together and blend until smooth. ADD ½ CUP OF SUGAR TO MIXTURE and stir to combine.
Gradually add the cream mixture to the pumpkin mixture and whisk to combine both of the mixtures together.

Pour the pumpkin custard over the toasted cubed brioche in the pan and wrap with plastic. Let liquid absorb for 30 minutes. Remove plastic and sprinkle the top of the brioche with:
3 TBLS of sugar
2 tsp. of cinnamon mixed with the sugar

Set the baking pan on a rimmed sheet tray and place in preheated oven. Pour 2 cups of water onto the sheet tray to act as a water bath. Bake about 30 minutes or until the brioche is puffed and set in the center. Remove from oven and cool slightly.

Spoon out the servings onto a plate and top with caramel whipped cream and toasted chopped pecans. (Nuts are optional)

CARAMEL WHIPPED CREAM
1 Pint of whipped cream-whip until almost stiff
1 heaping TBLS of powdered sugar whip into the cream
½ cup of your favorite REAL caramel sauce.
With the mixer off, pour in the caramel sauce and then slowly whip the cream to combine the caramel into the whipped cream.

Recipe adapted from Food and Wine-Nov. 1999 by Chef Ann Nolan
Corporate Chef for SunWest Appliance Distributing
Viking Appliance Distributor
chefann@sunwestdist.net